FAMILY TYRANNIDAE 415 



Measurements. — Males (10 from Chiriqui, Bocas del Toro, Canal 

 Zone, Panama, and Colon), wing 82.2-88.7 (85.7), tail 66.8-71.7 

 (69.4), culmen from base 14.8-16.7 (15.7), tarsus 18.1-18.6 (18.3) 

 mm. 



Females (10 from Chiriqui. Canal Zone, Colon, and Panama), 

 wing 79.2-84.7 (80.7). tail 61.4-66.3 (64.2), culmen from base 

 14.5-15.8 (15.0), tarsus 17.4-18.5 (18.0) mm. 



Resident. Widely distributed, but found locally, in the tropical 

 lowlands from near the Costa Rican boundary in western Chiriqui 

 (Puerto Armuelles, Bugaba, Divala) eastward (San Felix) ; Vera- 

 guas (Sona), the eastern side of the Azuero Peninsula in Los Santos 

 (Pedasi, Tonosi), and Code (Gago. El Valle) ; through the Province 

 of Panama west and east of the Canal Zone to the Rio Maje; to 

 1300 meters on the western side of Volcan Baru ; and on the Carib- 

 bean side from western Bocas del Toro east through the lower 

 Chagres Valley and eastern Colon (Portobelo). 



In the original description Lawrence gave the type locality as 

 "Isthmus of Panama." Ridgway (U.S. Nat. Mus., Bull 50, pt. 14, 

 1907, p. 452) made this more definite by citing it from Lion Hill. 



In my acquaintance with this bird in life it has seemed to be 

 somewhat more active than the two related species in the genus. 

 Like the others, they range in open areas at the borders of pasture- 

 lands and fields, in trees along open streams, and near second-growth 

 thickets, not in heavy stands of forest. They find lines of wire and 

 fence rows attractive, and come to open suburban areas and around 

 country homes. The calls, while resembling those of the Vermilion- 

 crowned Flycatcher, are louder. The morning calls especially are 

 more vociferous. On the whole, they also seem more active, often 

 resting for a period with the tail cocked over the back and wings 

 drooped, and then changing to the more usual erect position normal 

 in related species of this family. 



They eat quantities of small berries, visiting fruiting trees in com- 

 pany with other flycatchers. And also make constant sallies to seize 

 flying insects. In this they may swing gracefully in a wide circle 

 in returning to the lookout post on a dead branch or wire. 



Their large nests, domed, with the entrance in the side near the 

 top, are placed in trees and shrubs, often in those with thorny 

 branches, frequently also near the nests of wasps. At times the old 

 nest of some other small bird is taken as a base in beginning con- 

 struction. The location may be low or fairly high, usually with little 

 or no attempt at concealment. It may be in a tree occupied also by 



